Bozza: so slow, put me on

Under pressure ... Tim Cahill's exploits were admirable. Source: Paul Miller / AAP

Former Socceroos goalkeeper Mark Bosnich was so incensed by Australia's first-half performance he declared: "if they are going to play at two miles an hour, I might as well go out there and play".

Speaking at half-time during Fox Sports' coverage of the World Cup qualifier against Oman, Bosnich took aim at the side's attitude and tempo on the ball. 

"That was absolutely pathetic first-half performance," he said. 

"If they don't want to be out there ... put someone on that wants to be out there."

Movement was lacking, but so too was cohesion as a unit and Bosnich was concerned by the side's failure to get the ball early forward.

While Bozza lamented a "one-out" style, Socceroos talisman Tim Cahill was similarly frustrated by the first-half display and the side's failure to create. 

Speaking after the match, the goal-scoring hero explained what went wrong - and how he needed to do something about it in the second term. 

"First-half, the game plan was for me to keep the two centre-backs back, which happened," Cahill said. 

"But nothing was penetrating in behind. 

"Second-half, I just wanted to get more involved. The only way you're going to change a game is by being active.

"I asked for a high-tempo game. I don't want the ball flying in the box at the time. I want to play football. We've got some great players (to do that)."

Fox Sports spent the week counting down the top 50 footballers in the country, and while much of the hype fell like a lead balloon during an awful first-half at ANZ Stadium, Cahill showed why he is still the most indispensible man in our line-up.  

Group B		P	W	D	L	GD	Pts
1	Japan	6	4	1	1	10	13
2	Jordan	6	2	1	3	-6	7
3	Australia	5	1	3	1	0	6
4	Oman	6	1	3	2	-3	6
5	Iraq	5	1	2	2	-1	5

Without him, I shudder to think what would have been.

The New York Red Bulls star spoke honestly after the game about what went wrong. 

"First half was too slow," he said after the match. 

"They're a difficult team, but we're a good team. We trained well all week, but it's about producing. 

"For me, I struggled to train throughout the whole week. I said to the boss: give me the opportunity and I'll do everything for the team. But it wasn't good enough."

Cahill pinpointed a few tactical deficiencies in the side - "little things that make a big difference". 

"I said yesterday in training: 'I'm heading it from 16 yards, not from five yards into the goal. I said to them: smother the keeper, we're going to get goals. 

"Those little things could be the difference."

While Cahill re-enforced his top dog status, the man he pipped for the No.1 Power Rankings mantle, Robbie Kruse, couldn't produce his best. 

He was well marked, and had his space clogged at times by an advancing Luke Wilkshire. It was surprising to see him brought off by Holger Osieck, however, as he started to look lively as the second-half wore on. 

"Disappointing", Robbie Kruse told foxsports.com.au after the match.

"To go two goals down to Oman was obviously very difficult to come back. 

"You see the way they play, a lot of play acting.

"The worst possible scenario was to let them score first.

"Disappointing, but we're still with a shout."

Kruse explained why the side found it so difficult to penetrate. 

"Even before they scored, they sit back really, really deep.

"When they went 1-0 up they all sat in their own half.

"But we got a point out of it; good fighting spirit, but it's still not good enough.

"Obviously when they go up a goal early, pretty sloppy, it deflates the confidence a little bit and makes it that little bit harder." 

On his own display, the highly-rated Fortuna Dusseldorf player said: "first-half was difficult to get into one-on-one situations, but second-half, I felt as though I got into a few more. 

"But it was a pretty tough night." 

Cahill knows his experience is vital as the national side tries to hold the campaign together ahead of a Super June calendar of fixtures against Japan, away, and Iraq and Jordan at home. 

"We have to stick together," Cahill added.

"We're a young team; me and Schwarzer ... and Wilko ... were the old timers. We've got to keep going, it's not the same team as before, but I'll keep going. I love playing for my country."

Cahill said he didn't feel like he carried the team.  

"I play for the team, I never play for myself. The main thing for me is to keep this unit together. 

"We'll learn as we go along, but overall, this is going to take time.

"I'm happy the young players are getting experience ... but it's going to be a difficult run in." 

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